River

On the IPOD "River" by: Joni Mitchell

I love this song for so many reasons... I discovered it when I read the book "Prozac Nation" by Elizabeth Wurtzel ( by the way the movie didn't even come close to doing the book justice). Anyways I read the entire book in about 36 hours, not really bad for a horrible reader with even worse ADD. I think I was one of the first people to read it and it moved me so much that I looked Ms. Wurtzel up in the phone book and called to tell her how amazing I thought the book was...I know pretty ballsy... So it must have been around Christmas time because when I called I got her voice mail and it was this song. I left her a message and even got a very nice return phone call. So I bought Joni Mitchell's record and the rest is history. The song came to me at a time in my life when I really needed a dark, somewhat depressing song. What you don't really know about me is that I took piano lessons for give or take 12 years, I then picked up a guitar the summer before 9th grade, taught myself to play on a cheap $200 Mitchell, upgraded to a beautiful 12 string that I not only led large amounts of Jewish teens in camp songs with but that I also used to write upwards of about 45 songs most of them in the minor key and all somewhat depressing and about among other things love, loss, and adolescence. So now as a sit here at Christmas time writing my own sort of memoir, I am thinking about how much her book meant to me and although this is not a book but more like a rough diary I hope that my words touch you in maybe some of the same ways.. Oh and by the way I own every version available of this song and some of my favorites include Sarah McLachlin, James Taylor, and Sara Bareilles.

I went to Nia today, I haven't been in a couple of weeks because with the move and holiday work it is sometimes easier to just run to the gym. But I realized how much I need to make going a priority. Nia just makes me feel better not only because it is a great workout but because it is an hour that I am giving myself...it is a complete gift!! Anyways class was different today as it always sort of is. We ended up on the floor, legs straight out in front of us and we were leaning backwards with our arms down by our sides until we almost touched the floor but not and then having to raise ourselves back up. Well first off I know I've told you that I'm losing my boobs... well obviously not enough because it was hard!! It felt like my boobs weighed about 30 pounds each which is insane because the last time I checked they only came in at about 7lbs a piece. All I know is that the skinnies with little boobs were just whipping up, but not me I was pushing the ground so hard with the back of my elbows that I'm sure I will have bruises tomorrow. Its okay though they are just battle scars, proof that I'm working my butt off I guess!

Oh and please if you are not too busy up there, can you send down some peppermint ice cream that is calorie free? Thanks God!

xoxo chef a